TYLER, Texas (KETK)– The New World Screwworm was detected in South Texas this week, for the first time in nearly 60 years.

USDA races to contain New World screwworm fly in Texas

A three-week-old calf was found infected with New World Screwworm larvae in Zavala County this week. The USDA is on the ground treating the animal and has enacted quarantine measures for the ranch and surrounding farms.

Right now, there no other animals that have been detected with the parasite.

“The best way to put it is screwworms are not new in any animal health situation,” Tri-Vita Cattle Company, Karson Beavers said.

Karson Beavers owns Tri-Vita Cattle Company in Starrville. On Thursday, he told KETK News that he is not worried about the livestock progressing forward.

The parasite infects cattle, pets and wildlife through open wounds. Later this month, Beavers will be castrating bulls, but since he was in high school, he’s been taught safety measures to prevent these screwworms from infecting cattle.

“It’s a topical spray and antiseptic spray that you’ll put on that just treats that wound area and it’s harder for that female fly to find that open wound and something that that we do anytime we are working on our cattle with an open wound,” Beavers said.

USDA races to contain New World screwworm fly in Texas

If livestock aren’t having any procedures, the best thing for ranchers is to keep a close eye on their herd.

“Our best medicine right now is to put eyes on the animals. If you happen to notice something shaking its head, oddly kicking or looking at a wound excessively or if a wound on livestock that it just tends to grow on normally or abnormally,” Tracey Tomascik with the Texas Farm Bureau said.

In the meantime, Beavers said he is fully confident in the ongoing efforts by the state and federal officials to keep the parasite contained to the ranch in South Texas.

“We want to keep our livestock healthy and safe and especially now with prices they’re a very large investment to the farmers here in East Texas, so we really want to look after them and make sure their health is the pinnacle of what we’re looking for,” Beavers said.

Officials are stressing that they don’t think the parasite will impact Texas’ food safety or beef.

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